I have angered my Expedition

[Nasanieru]

Hello,

I have a 99 Expedition EB, and I have done something to it and made it mad. I saw the other day that my power stearing fluid was just below the min mark on the resivour. So I bought some stearing fluid and filled it up to the max line. After that something in the engine started squeaking. It doesnt squeak with the turning, but it squeaks with the speed of the revs in the motor or transmission. every time the tranny shifts the squeak changes and gets quieter.

I thought that I mite have filled up the resivour to much, so I have been removing fluid slowly. Which is making the squeak quieter. but, at the rate I am removing the fluid I will be back at the min line again or below. I have not seen any external leaks and like it that way. lol. But, I need the resivour to have the correct amount of fluid and not squeak.

The other question is this. I have 265/70/17 tires on the truck, and want bigger tires without changing the suspention or body lift. What is the largest size tire that will fit without rubing. I would like wider better then taller if I could pick.

Thanks Guys...

 

[mc0311grunt]

Powersteering pump might be ready to kill itself

 

[tsgrpr97]

Did you spill some fluid on the belt?

Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Nasanieru]

I spilled oil a little down the side where I have heard the squeak, But that was almost a week and a half before I decided to play with the steering fluid.

Was there any ideas or suggestion that anyone had on the tire situation?

 

[EXPI2000]

I put 285/70/17 on mine I like the way it looks better than stock size. Fills wheel wells in a lot better and I have no lift on mine either.

 

[Nasanieru]

Thanks for the tire info bud...

 

[FordandPolaris]

Since you live in St. Cloud, you might see my truck around sometime haha. I also have 285's on mine (on 16" rims) and that is about all the bigger you will be able to fit without modification. As for the squeaking, does it sound like a bearing gone bad? Or more like the belt slipping?

 

[Nasanieru]

I would say it sounds more like a bearing. I was thinking maybe it could be the tensioner squeaking? But, when your sitting in the drivers seat it sounds like it's coming from the left side of the engine compartment. And when looking and the engine at the front of the Exp. it sounds like it's coming from the left side that way. I am really confused...and the sound is consistent with the transmission shifting. It also gets quieter the faster I go...

 

[Nasanieru]

Hey Ford and Polaris,

Do you think that the 285/75/17 would fit in the wheel well like yours. Or should it stick with the 16 inch rim for that size.

Thanks

 

[FordandPolaris]

I always tell people 285/70/17 is the size to go with for those size rims. 285/70/17=285/75/16. The only difference is that the sidewall of the tire itself will be slightly smaller on a 17" rim, otherwise both are 33" tires overall. Normally you do not see 285/75/17 but I am sure they are out there.

We just had to do the tensioner on my mom's 2000, thing sounded like metal on metal (not saying that isn't for sure your problem however). If it sounds like a bearing, it could be any of the belt driven functions. It would make sense that it would get quieter as the engine spins up, as the faster something is going, the less it would deviate from its original track. Slower rotating things will squeak more. Alternator bearing is a common thing to fail like that as well. You can take the belt off and spin different functions by hand to see if they make the noise.

EDIT: I just went back and re-read your first post talking about adding power steering fluid, could very well be that the power steering pump is on its way out as well. Does it change sounds as you turn the wheels back and forth?

 

[Nasanieru]

I have been playing with the power steering a little bit. When the truck is idoling and I turn the steering wheel there is no sound, no squeek or grinding. So I am starting to think that it's not the steering. Going to try the tensioner...the sound only starts squealing around 1400 RPM and continues up from there. But, since I have owned the truck none of those things have been replaced...meaning the alternator, water pump, pully. If I can save myself the money only replacing what I can the better. lol.

 

[Jeff532003]

I cant stress enough how great a stethascope can be for finding odd noises. They make ones for the auto industry with a long metal rod at the end that you can put on the engine or component to find where the noise is coming from. Harbor freight even sells them for like 5 bucks I think.

 

[Nasanieru]

Thanks Jeff, Gonna have to do that. But, I think I mite have pin pointed where the sound is coming from. Changed the fluid in the Power Steering reservoir, And the sound went away for awhile and then came back. Guessing the fluid is old and the pump is old. Mite as well change both of them while I'm at it. Thanks for everyone helping in the matter, You all rock!

 

[Jeff532003]

Night want to try Mercon V in place of power steering fluid. That's what ford sends them out from the factory with and normally recommends in the owners manual.